In this paper, I looked at methods to improve emotional control in order to maximize happiness. Previous studies have shown that reappraisal, reward, and exercise can help us gain more emotional control, which may lead to greater happiness. In my correlational study, I tested the strength of these relationships by examining naturalistic daily changes in their variables longitudinally over a two-week period. I estimated reappraisal use by rating how often I reframed negative thoughts, measured retail therapy by recording the number of items I purchased, measured exercise as the total number of minutes spent exercising, and finally measured emotional control by rating my mood on scale each day. The data collected in my research show that emotional control is significantly correlated with reassessment and exercise, but not with retail shopping.
